| In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, the first | | | | D.B., who " has sold out to Hollywood." Although |
| personnarration is critical in helping the reader to | | | | insulting, hisseemingly negative feelings show that |
| know and understandthe main character, Holden | | | | Holden is a thinking andanalyzing, outspoken individual |
| Caulfield. Holden, in his narration,relates a flashback of | | | | who values honesty and sincerity. |
| a significant period of his life, three daysand nights on | | | | He is unimpressed with people who try to look good |
| his own in New York City. Through his narration, | | | | in other's eyes. |
| Holden discloses to the reader his innermost thoughts | | | | Therefore, since it is obvious that Holden is bright, |
| and feelings. | | | | the reasonfor his flunking out of school would seem |
| He thus provides the reader not only with information | | | | to be from a lack ofinterest. |
| of whatoccurred, but also how he felt about what | | | | Holden has strong feelings of love towards children |
| happened. | | | | asevidenced through his caring for Phoebe, his little |
| Holden's thoughts and ideas reveal many of his | | | | sister. He isprotective of her, erasing bad words from |
| charactertraits. One late Saturday night, four days | | | | the walls in her schooland in a museum, in order that |
| before the beginning ofschool vacation, Holden is | | | | she not learn from the graffiti. |
| alone, bored and restless, wonderingwhat to do. He | | | | His fondness for children can be inferred when he |
| decides to leave Pencey, his school, at once | | | | tells her that,at some time in the future, he wants to |
| andtravels to New York by train. He decides that, | | | | be the only grown-up with |
| once in New York,he will stay in a cheap motel until | | | | "all these little kids playing some game in this big field |
| Wednesday, when he is to returnhome. His plan | | | | of ryeand all." He'll stand on the edge of a cliff and |
| shows the reader how very impetuous he is and | | | | catch anybody whostarts to fall off the edge of the |
| howhe acts on a whim. He is unrealistic, thinking that | | | | cliff. He got this image fromhis misinterpretation of a |
| he has afoolproof plan, even though the extent of | | | | line from the Robert Burns poem, " if abody catch a |
| his plans are to "take aroom in a hotel.., and just take | | | | body comin' through the rye." |
| it easy till Wednesday." | | | | When situations are described, in person or in a book, |
| Holden's excessive thoughts on death are not typical | | | | theyare influenced by the one who describes them, |
| of mostadolescents. His near obsession with death | | | | and by his or herperceptions and experiences. |
| might come from havingexperienced two deaths in | | | | Through Holden's expressions of histhoughts and |
| his early life. He constantly dwells on | | | | feelings, the reader sees a youth, sensitive to |
| Allie, his brother's, death. From Holden's thoughts, it is | | | | hissurroundings, who chooses to deal with life in |
| obviousthat he loves and misses Allie. In order to hold | | | | unique ways. Holdenis candid, spontaneous, analytical, |
| on to his brotherand to minimize the pain of his loss, | | | | thoughtful, and sensitive, asevidenced by his |
| Holden brings Allie'sbaseball mitt along with him where | | | | narration. Like most adolescents, feelings aboutpeople |
| ever he goes. The mitt hasadditional meaning and | | | | and relationships are often on his mind. Unfortunately, |
| significance for Holden because Allie hadwritten | | | | in |
| poetry, which Holden reads, on the baseball mitt. | | | | Holden's case, he seems to expect the worst, |
| Holden'spreoccupation with death can be seen in his | | | | believing that theresult of getting close to people is |
| contemplation of a deadclassmate, James Castle. It | | | | pain. Pain when others rejectyou or pain when they |
| tells the reader something about | | | | leave you, such as when a friend walks off ora |
| Holden that he lends his turtleneck sweater to this | | | | beloved brother dies. It would not have been possible |
| classmate, withwhom he is not at all close. | | | | to feel |
| Holden's feelings about people reveal more of his | | | | Holden's feelings or understand his thoughts nearly as |
| positivetraits. He constantly calls people phonies, even | | | | well had thebook been written in third person. |
| his brother, | | | | |
